Naperville Couple Says Condo Board Came Down On Them For Surveillance Camera Doorbell

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (CBS) -- Surveillance camera doorbells are popular, provide a safety net for many homeowners, and are relied upon by police departments.

But as CBS 2's Charlie De Mar reported Thursday night, one west suburban couple says it has brought them nothing but trouble.

"It's been a huge peace of mind for us, especially when we travel for work," said Dan Anderson.

Anderson and Chelsea Freeman protect their north Naperville home with a Ring doorbell.

The camera feature allowed them to see our CBS 2 team as we walked in for the interview.

"We didn't think we were in violation. We weren't trying to violate any bylaws," Anderson said. "We were simply trying to protect ourselves."

But the little black box on the door is against the condo association's rules. No additions can be made to the outside — it's a fineable offense.

Alarms went off for the couple when they got an email this week from the condo association manager explaining why their safety was somehow bringing down the neighborhood.

It read in part, "Due to keeping the aesthetic of the community and the privacy of the residents within the community..."

"It's the Ring doorbell allows one person to be safe, or one mom to see her kids come home from school, or one package not be stolen, it's a win for me," Freeman said.

The association manager said there is a way for people to follow the rules and have a security camera. His suggestion is mounting the camera on the inside.

But there is just one problem – not every home has windows at the front door.

"We do have 14 days to remove it," Anderson said. "We're going to comply with the notice."

"Adding a security value to the community is not ruining the aesthetics or anyone's experience of living in this community," Freeman said. "If anything, it actually probably heightens it."

The association manager said he is looking into a possible contract for interactive doorbells with cameras, which would require changing the current condo rules. The hope is to do that sometime in 2020.